Always Second
by legaldramafan
Summary: Reid gets upset when JJ and Morgan show up to clean his apartment with Garcia in tow. A verbal fight between Morgan and Reid ensues. Somehow, this turned a little slashy.


**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc., are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

"Garcia, can you give me a moment with Morgan and JJ?"

"Um, sure, I'll just run these things down to the car." Garcia slipped into her coat and out the door, which Reid closed firmly behind her.

"I know this is going to sound ungrateful, but who's help did I actually ask for?" Morgan and JJ just looked at each other confusedly. "Not Garcia's, I can tell you that."

"Spence-"

"No JJ! She's overbearing, she's smothering, she's more than I can handle at the moment! I was trying to take a baby step and one or both of you pushed me into running a marathon! I asked the two of you, Morgan and JJ, for help; I invited only two of you, Morgan and JJ, to my apartment. And then what am I supposed to do when she shows up?!"

"Look Reid-"

"You think I didn't know what that phone call was? You think I didn't know you were just asking me a question about the case because you thought I would call you back for that? And I should have known that you were actually only calling me for Garcia because I should have known that she would turn Maeve's death and _my trauma_ into being about her. Let me guess what she told you, that she couldn't breathe, that I was impairing her ability to do her job? News flash Morgan, she's a drama queen! I know that's what she said to you because she left messages to me saying the same thing! I wasn't ready to deal with her yet! I wasn't ready to deal with her twisting what happened to me into being all about her! Maeve dying happened to me! And unlike the rest of you, she didn't even have to witness it! My grief and how I heal are not for Garcia to manipulate and control! I'm not operating on her time table! And I'm not even saying this behind her back because she is standing outside the door eavesdropping!" Reid crossed the room again and opened the door to reveal a red-eyed, guilty-looking Garcia. "I'm sorry Garcia, but I'm just not ready for you yet and I didn't ask them to bring you for that reason."

Garcia nodded and patted Reid's cheek, then motioned to JJ. "We'll give you boys a couple minutes, hmm?" After hugging both of the girls again Reid watched them down the stairs and out the door.

"I wasn't going to ask for anything from you, but you've been trying so hard, even before Maeve, that I thought I could trust you with this simple thing, but after the phone calls, I really should have known better."

"You think those phone calls betrayed your trust?!" Morgan was wide-eyed and threw his hands in the air. "I'm damned if I do and damned if I don't!"

"No Morgan, those phone calls just being a means of manipulating me so that you could get _Garcia _what she selfishly wanted is the problem. Had those phone calls been about you wanting and needing to speak to me, it would have been fine. Like I said, I knew what you were doing to a point."

"What the hell do you want from me Reid?"

"I just want a friend who's going to put me first when I need it! And I thought that after the past few months you could do that, but I was clearly mistaken!"

"Reid, you're still grieving. Stop saying things you might regret later."

"I'm not going to regret them! Grieving or not, I'm sick of coming in second to Garcia!"

JJ and Garcia stood outside listening to the shouting match through the open windows.

"You had your chance man, what more do you want from me? YOU'RE THE ONE WHO MOVED ON!"

"SO DID YOU! And I can't stand to have it shoved in my face right now!"

JJ and Garcia looked at one another, equally wide-eyed.

"If you were anyone else, at any other time, I'd tell you to go fuck yourself and walk out the door."

"Then why don't you?"

"Because I'm not in love with Garcia! I haven't moved on! I'm still in love with you, you asshole!"

Reid stood there blinking. "Oh."

Morgan sighed and ran a hand over his head before walking the few steps to the door. "Goodbye Spencer."

Reid was still standing there, unmoving, when the door at the bottom of the stairs slammed shut.


End file.
